Game apparatus



March 13, 1928. 1,662,162

. H. M. NESTOR 6 11 MW W I gwuewtoz EMMsfor -March 13, 1928.

H. M. NESTOR GAME APPARATUS gnue'ntoz March 13, 1928. 1,662,162

H. M. NESTOR GAME APPARATUS Filed March 29. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 EMA/@5221 I a i I I amzmq Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

HENRY rcnnsron, or OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

GAME APPARATUS.-

Application filed- March 29, 1927. Serial No. 179,309.

This invention relatesto game apparatus and more particularly to a device of this character employing a plurality of rolling spheres operating 1nparallel' trackways to simulate racing and similar sports.

An important object of the invention is to. so construct the trackway that the actual length thereof is considerably shortened without shortening the effective length and the parallel trackways may conveniently be formed of the same length.

A further object: of the invention is the provision in a device of this character of a convenient means whereby the spheres employed in the parallel trackways' may be simultaneously released and the sphere first arriving at its destination may be positively identified.

A. further and more specific object of the invention is to provide means for positively indicating not only the sphere which first arrives at its destination, but likewise the trackway in which said sphere was travelling.

()thcr objects and advantages will appear throughout the course of the following description.

My invent-ion is illustrated in the accompai'iying drawings, wherein:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a game apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention Figure 2 is a plan view thereof, the starting hopper being removed;

i igure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the starting hopper;

Figure l is a perspective view of the mechanism of the indicator;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view through the indicator;

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view showing the springwhich operates the starting mech anism when released; I v

Figure 7 is a side elevation showing a sli htly modified form of trackway;

Figure 8 an end elevation of the form of traclrway showniin Figure 7.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the game apparatus includes a plurality of parallel trackways 10, 11 and 12, each of which is formed in a plurality of sections. In the present illustration, the corresponding sections of the trackways are connected to one another in units 13, 14 and 15, and these units are arrangedin superposed relation. Each unitis inclined from end to end and has, its lower end overlying or adjacent to the upper end ot the unit next below. Means generally designated atv 16; are employed for directing a sphere 17, travelling in any section of a trackway into. the corresponding section. of the trackway of the unit next below.

In Figure 1, adjacent sections of the trackway are decussate and the connections 16, comprise arc-uately curved plates 18 having grooves 19. formed in the continuationsof the trackway. By an inspection of this figure, it will be noted that a trackway, which discharges into the outer groove 19 of one of an upper plate 18, will, when it arrives at the next plate 18, discharge into. the inner groove thereof. In this manner, the travel of the spheres 17 is compensated for in such manner that the effective length of the tracle way sections and, the connection grooves 19 between these sections is the same for any given trackway. This is true without regard to the number of trackways which may be employed. i

In Figure 7 the trac'kway sections 13 directly overlie one another and the connections are in the form of arcuate vertically extending tongues 20 against which a sphere, leaving a trackway 10, 11-01 12 of an upper section, impinges and is deflected into the corresponding trackway of the section next below. With this construction, the trackway sections directly underlie one another and it will be obvious that the actual distance through which the sphere must travel in the parallel trackways is equal. The decussate construction is, however, preferred, in that it permits a more ready inspection of the travel of the spheres in the trackways.

In combination with a structure of this character, I provide a means 21 for simultaneously depositing in the upper end of the upper section of each trackway a sphere 17 trackway suiticiently spaced from the track.-

ways to permitthe balls to escape from the pockets.

Extending transversely of the trackways and mounted at its ends in the walls 01' the casing is a shaft. having secured thereto stop plates '26 corresponding in number and arrangement to the trackwar These stops E26 in one position of the shaft. obstruct the openings formed by the abbreviation of the wall Q L and permitting escape of the spheres from the compartments 23, and in the second position thereof will permit escape of the spheres from the pockets. A spring 2T connecting the shaft 25 with the wall of the casing 21 constantly urges the shaft to the last named position. The shaft 25 has secured thereto a crank arm 28 having projecting therefrom a pin 29. This pin coacts with one'arm 30 ot a hell crank latch 31. the opposite arm $52 of which is urged by a spring 33 to a position such that the bill 3lof the latch overlies the pin 29 and serves to hold the arm and shaftin a position where the plates Qt obstrtart movement of the spheres against. the action of the spring 27. A link 255 is secured to the arm L52 and projects through the upper wall oi the ca. ing, where it is provided with an operating head 36. This link has a lug ili' engaging the inner wall of the casing when the link is elevated to a predetermined degree to limit upward n'iovement. ot' the link and position the bill oi? the latch in such manner that the pin, (luring rotation ol' the shaft. 25. will en gage against: a cam face :56 formed upon the upper surface of the bill and thus wedge the bill aside to permit passage of the pin 29 to the locking position. ivlovement ot the arm :28 to the releasing position is limited by a stop lug 39 carried by the casing and the pin 29 preferably extends through an arcuate slot termed in the casing wall to provide an operating handle at. the exterior of the casing. whereby the shaft may be rotated. It will be obvious that. when the plates are in the pocket closing position. the spheres may he placed therein and a simultaneous release thereot may be ettected by the pressingot' the head 36 to permit the spring 27 revolve the shalt 25 and more the plates 2t) to their inoperative position.

The indicating mechanism 22 includes a casing in the side walls fit) of which are rotatably mounted the ends of a. pair of parallel shafts $1 and +2. The outer ends of the shaft i1 is provided with a crank handle l t. by means ot which it may be oscillated. Rotatably mounted upon the shaft it are indicating disks st-t corresponding in number and arrangement to the traclnvays 10, 11 and 1:2. Each indicating disk has an indicator, at present; illustrated as a tab 4:3 numbered to correspond to the, trackways and these tabs in one position ol the disk project through slots elti formed in the casing wall and are visible. The disks are constantly urged to this position by means of springs t7. Each disk has outstanding therefrom a lug i8, the purpose ol' which will hereinafter appear and adjacent this hug. the outer face of the tli l is formed with a cam surface 49.

Mounted upon the shaft -l2 are levers 5U. each lever having one end thereof underl ving the associated disk and this end is prm vided with a downward extension 51 carrying a paddle 5:2 obstructing the associated trackwa it), ll or 12. The opposite arm of the lever is bent intermediate its ends. so that its terminal portion 5 extends vcrtically and to these terminal portions springs at are secured, which constantly urge the terminal portions away from the disk it and into engagement with stops This movement of the terminal portion causes the end of the lever underlying the disk to move u nvardly toward the disk, so that a notch tormcd therein may receive the outer end of the lug in. A control bar 57 is provided, which extends between the upper ends of the terminal portions :72, of the levers 5t) and the adjacent disks. The ends ot this bar are downbent at 58 and rotatably engaged with the shaft l2. Springs 59 constantly urge the control bar toward the peripheries of the disks -l-l and the movement ol the control bar in this direction is limited by a stop (it) carried by the casing wall. The. shait ll has secured thereto adjacent each disk and at that side of the disk hearing the lug in a spring arm (ll. which, when the shall it is rotated. will come into engagement with the lugs 48 ol' the disk and cause the disks -'llto be rotated against the. action of the springs -|T until they arrive at, a position where the lugs is engage in the notches at of the levers no. \Yith the disks in this position. the lil'st sphere to engage against the associated paddle 513 will cause the lever 5t] associated therewith to rock sutliciently to release the lug and permit the disk l-lto be rotated by its spring :21. This will bring the tab 45 into signalling position and will t'illbt the cam t'acc 4H ol' the disk it to engage against the control bar 57 and urge the amc away from the stop so until it is: wedged between the terminal portions 5 ol' the levers and the cam. Since the terminal portions 53 are limited in their movement by the stop 55, it 'lollows that none of these levers may be oscillated upon the pivot:- thereot', so that spheres arriving later than the first sphere will strike against tll il' paddles 52 without atl'ccting the levers. it a tie between two spheres results. the signals of both spheres will be moved to indicating position. To restore the disks to their proper position, it is simply I|(,t'ifr- Lll' to manipulate the crank ill a sullicicnt distance to bring the lugs ot' the disks into locking position.

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It will be obvious that with apparatus of this character, many different games can be played; The spheres can be considered where the distance instead of the speed dc tel-mines the winner.

Since the construction of the apparatus is obviously capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of the ll1VGIlilOI'!,'

I do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. In game apparatus, a plurality of trackways of the same length and identical inclination, means at the upper end of the trackways for simultaneously releasing therein objects which will move by gravity from the upper to the lower end thereof and means at the opposite end of the trackways and actuated by the passage of an object moving along any of the trackways for positively barring the subsequent passage of an object along anyof said tracliways.

2. In game apparatus, a plurality of trackways of the same length and identical inclination, means at the upper endof the trackways for simultaneously releasing therein objects which will move by gravity from the upper to the lower end thereof, means at the opposite end of the trackways for positively indicating which of articles so released is first to arrive at its destii1ation, said trackways being formed in sections, said sections being superposed and means conducting an article leaving the lower end of any section of a trackway into the upper end of the trackway section next beneath, said means preserving the uniform length of the trackways.

3. In game apparatus, a plurality of trackwaysof the same length and identical,

inclination, means at the upper end of the trackways for simultaneously releasing therein objects which will move by gravity from the upper to the lower end thereof, means at the opposite end of the trackways for positively indicating which of articles so released is first to arrive at its distination,

said trackways being formed in sections,

said sections being superposed and means conducting an article leaving the lower end of any section of a trackway into the upper end of the trackway section next beneath,

said nieans preserving the uniform lengti of the trackways, ad acent sections of the trackway being decussate.

4. In game apparatus, a plurality of trackways of the same length and identical inclination, means at theupper end of the trackways for, simultaneously releasing therein objects which will move by gravity from the upper to the lower end thereof, means at the opposite end of'the trackways forpositively indicating which of articles so released is first to arrive at its dcstination, said trackways being formed in sections, said sections being superposed and means conducting an article; leaving the lower end of any section of a trackway into the upper end of the trackway section next beneath, said means preserving the uniform length of the trackways, adjacent sections of the trackway being decussate, the connections between said sections comprising air-- cuately curved plates having parallel grooves I formed therein the trackways.

' 5. In gaineapparatus, a pluralityof paral- I lel trackways of the same length and identical inclination, a casingyoverlying the upper ends of the trackways and having a pocket for each trackway, the bottom of which opens to the ti'ackway, a rock shaft extending through the casing and transversely of the trackway, plates secured to the shaft, means for rotating the shaft from a position where said plates obstruct passage down the trackways of articles placed in the pockets to a position where the escape of the articles from the pockets is permitted, a spring constantly tending to rotate the shaft in the last naiiied direction and means for latching the shaft in the first named position and means at the lower ends of.

the trackways to indicate which of the articles released at the upper ends of the trackways is first to arrive at its destination.

6. In game apparatus, a plurality of parallel trackways of the same length and identical inclination, a casing overlying the upper ends of the trackways and having a pocket for each trackway, saidpockets com munioating with the trackway, means within the casing mo able to a position where it obstructs communication between the pockets and the trackways or to a position where it permits such communication, a latch for retaining said means in the first named position and a spriing constantly urging said means to the last named position.

7. In gaineiapparatus, a plurality of parallel trackways of the same length andidentical. inclination, a casingoverlying the upper ends-of the trackways and having apocket for each trackway, said pockets c0minunicat-ing with the trackway, means Within,

the casing movable to a position where it obstructs communication between the pockets providing coiitinuations of and the trackways or to a position where it permits such communication, a latch for retaining said means in the first named position. a spring constantly urging said means to the last named position. means operable at the exterior of the casing for moving the shaft from the last to the first named position to permit its engagement by said latch and means operable at the exterior of said casing for releasing said latch.

8. In game apparatus, a plurality of parallel trackways of the same length and identical inclination, means at the upper ends of the t-raekways for simultaneously releasing therein objects which will move by gravity from the upper to the lower end thereol', a casing at the lower end of the trackways and into which the lower end ot the trackways discharge, a plurality of rotatable indicators within the casing and having bias normally moving them to indicating positions, a latch associated with each indicating mechanism and operated to release the associated indicating mechanism to pen mit its movement from non-indicating to indicating position when engaged by an ob jeet moving in the traclovay and means operated by the movement of an indicator from non-indicating to indicating position tor locking the latches against operation by objects moving in the tracliways.

9. ln game apparatus a plurality ol par allel trzmkways of the same length and identical inclination, means at the upper ends of the trackways for sinmltaneonsly releasing therein objects which will move by gravity from the upper to the lower end thereof. a casing at the lower end of the traclnvays and into which the lower end of the trackways discharge, a plurality of rotatable indicators within the casing and having bias normally moving them to indicating positions, a latch associated with each indicating mechanism and operated to release the associated indicating mechanism to permit its movement from non-indicating to indicating position when engaged by an object moving in the trackway means operated by the movement of an indicator 't'rom non-indicating to indicating position for locking the latches against operation by objects moving in the trackwayst and means operable from the exterior of the casing for rotating the indicators from indicating to non-indicating position.

10. In game apparatus, a plurality of parallel traekways of the same length and identical inclination. means at the upper ends of the trackways for simultaneously releasing therein objects which will move by gravity from the upper to the lower end thereof, a casing at the lower end of the trackways and into which the lower end of the trackways discharge, a plurality of rotatable indicators within the casing and having bias normally moving them to indicating positions, a latch associated with each indicating mechanism and operated to release the associated indicating n'ieclmnism to permit its n'iovement from non-indicating to indicating position when engaged by an object moving in the trackwayt means operated by the movement of an indicator :t'rom non-indicating to indicating position for locking the latches against operation by objects moving in the tracliways, and means operable from the exterior of the casing for rotating the indicators 'i'rom indicating to non-iiulicating position. each of said indicators including :1 lug coacting with the associated latch, the last named means comprising a rotatable shaft: forming the axi upon which said in dicators rotate and having arms corresponding in number and arrangement to the indicators and adapted to engage the lugs thereof when the shaft is rotated.

ll. In game apparatus, a plurality ol parallel tracliways oi' the same length and idcntical inclinatit'm, means at the upper ends of the trackways for simultaneously releasing therein objects which will move by gravity from the upper to the lower end thereof. a casing at the lower end of the traclnvays and into which the lower end of the trackways discharge, a plurality of rotatable indicatm's within the casing and having bias normally moving them to indicating positions, a latch associated with each indicating mechanism and operated to release the asso' ciated indicating mechanism to permit its movement from non-iiulicating to indicating position when engaged by an object moving in the trackway, each of said latches including a part moving toward the periphery of the indicator as the latch is moved to release the indicator. means lnmtmg movement of said portion of the latch in the opposite direction and means interposed between said portions of the hitches and said indicators and clamped between the periphery of the indicator and said portions of the latches when an indicator is in indicating position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atilx my signature.

HENRY M. NE; TOR. 

